The Heat
by angelicyokai
Summary: This is my attempt at a continuation of the series along with some luv for KateNickFor language the story is rated T so far, but may move up as the plot evolves.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own anything involved with SU2, if I did we would currently be on season 13 with no end in sight. As I don't know the names of any other SU2 officers, I made some up, but I promise their existence will be of little consequence to the story at large.

The Heat

"All right people, we have an unknown female link who is slaughtering women in the Hyde Park area."

It was a typical day at Special Unit 2; the department was gathered for their morning debriefing. Currently on the menu was a series of gory violent deaths targeting women walking alone at night, through the Hyde Park region of Chicago. While the deaths were being spun in the news as a separate mugging gone wrong, a murder, and a traffic accident, they seemed to be a series of attacks perpetrated by one female link. This lead came from a homeless man who had been resting, or rather boozing, a few yards away on a park bench.

Captain Page's booming baritone continued, "Jonathan! Given the rather vague description from the one witness found to the last attack, do you have any idea what we're dealing with?"

"Umm...not really, sir..." Came the muddled reply from SU2 link expert.

"Do you know what it might look like?"

"Female was the only description the homeless guy could give us, sir." Came Jonathan's chagrined response, while he stared at his sneakers. Looking like a grade school student caught playing hooky, Jonathan continued, "but in comparing the umm... carnage that was left at the three crime scenes, I think we are looking at the same link, or at least the same type of link for all the murders."

"But we don't know which, link, despite the crime scene evidence AND a witness. How many female links could their possibly be that can rip apart helpless women with their bare hands, then apparently vanish without a trace?"

"Umm...lots?" The glare Page leveled at his link expert would have quelled a troll, to say nothing of the timid researcher.

If possible, Captain page swelled to even larger proportions as he prepared to dress down the second greatest annoyance in his life, nothing could top Carl, when he was interrupted by a voice at his side.

"Trust me Captain, I talked to this weasel myself, if he knew anything about our link, or any other crime, or the recipe for the secret sauce, he would have gladly coughed it up. As it was the two main words in his vocabulary were 'Jack' and 'Daniel's'." O'Malley quipped.

"Geez O'Malley, not content with killing links and torturing small animals, you've taken to beating on the human populace too?" As the sarcasm was emanating from around waist level, O'Malley didn't bother to look down.

"Don't worry Carl, I wouldn't harm the cities rodents or stray cats, so your dating pool should be unaffected."

"If you two are finished, we have murders to solve, so perhaps your juvenile theatrics can stop before I throw you both in a cell for a while." Page paused in his tirade, and hearing no stupid commentary from either 'men', he continued to address the whole department.

"Okay people, this evening we will have every officer staking out Hyde Park, and we'll use a decoy to hopefully draw out the attacker." Captain Page was unfazed by the forthcoming interruption.

"Ooh a decoy! Kate did you hear that? You get to be a hooker again!" O'Malley waited for the caustic retort that usually followed such a declaration, but received none. Looking around the chaos of the office, he realized that his blonde partner was not among the rapidly scattering officers.

Captain Page watched his best and most destructive detective flounder for a moment before filling him in on the situation.

"Had you actually been on time for the debriefing, O'Malley, you would have heard me say that Detective Benson called in sick today. That being the case, Detective Owens," here he nodded to the middle aged, red haired detective that had been with SU2 for several years, "will be acting as our decoy in this maneuver." Announcements completed, Captain Page retreated to the pleasant solitude of his office.

Distracted by the news that his partner was sick, O'Malley whipped out his cell phone.

He stared a few seconds then shook the phone, and then turned it upside down. Finally, Carl decided to ask him what the hell he was doing.

"I have no messages, and no missed calls." Came O'Malley's slightly confused response.

"Oh, well I can understand that must be hard for you, but with a face like that O'Malley, I would have thought you'd be used to it by now." Carl responded, then broke Olympic track records as he ran for his life before O'Malley realized what he'd just said.

O'Malley contemplated calling his partner, the discarded the option, either she was so sick that she hadn't wanted to make more that one phone call this morning, or she didn't want to talk to him. Since the latter possibility was inconceivable, he prepared to go pay a visit to the wayward detective. Ignoring his Captain's bellowing about how his presence at the stake out was mandatory, Nick headed out of the office. The stake out wasn't for hours, and the Captain should know that he would never miss the change to take out one of these murdering link bastards.

Filled with mild concern for his partner, and a budding joy in his heart at the thought of the evening's possible destruction, Nick jumped in his car and headed out for Kate's apartment, after deciding that it would be completely inappropriate for him to call on his sick comrade without an offering of donuts.

End Chapter 1

The first part of this story will focus on the crime aspects of the plot as much as the relationship, most likely, but may evolve into more shipness later. Hope you enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

The heat chapter 2: I own nothing and no one in this series, or I would kidnap Carl for cleaning duty.

Detective Kate Benson lay in her deathbed, slowly releasing from this mortal coil. Okay incredibly over dramatic, even in her own mind, but if her head pounded too much longer, she was going to load up with some red ammo and apply directly to the forehead.

Sighing, Kate rolled to the edge of her queen size bed to reach the thermometer on her nightstand. Knowing she wouldn't see her desired 98.6 didn't stop her from checking every hour or so. She groused while the mercury slowly rose. Missing work was unacceptable in her mind, and if she hadn't needed to crawl to the phone, after crawling into the bathroom to be sick for the fourth time, she would be at work right now. Though he was 'Disappointed Benson', Captain Page seemed to understand that she really couldn't make it in, and let her go back to her miserable bed after only a mild scolding.

The thermometer, though blurry, seemed to read 102.6. While this wasn't better, at least she seemed to be holding steady at totally miserable.

The alarm clock on her nightstand, said stand being heavily laden with water, medicine, the clock, the thermometer, and her gun, looked like it read about 1:30, which meant that she had dozed fitfully through morning debriefing, paperwork, and she and O'Malley's lunchtime hotdog, or pretzel run. O'Malley recently had discovered a place that sold fried, bacon-wrapped hot dogs because regular hot dogs were just too damn healthy. Ooh, a wave of nausea told her that even thinking of O'Malley's food consumption was doing her no good.

Rolling onto her back Benson yet again contemplated calling her partner. She really didn't want to be seen, or smelled, at her absolute sickly worst, so she hadn't called Nick, just the Captain. She was half certain that Nick would rush over, probably with Carl in tow, or in trunk, to pester her and she would likely have shot them both. Not in any mood to neither lose a partner nor endure an angry gnome, Benson just left Page to tell her partner of her absence. Since she hadn't received any calls in the last few hours, she was certain that Nick understood her need for privacy and was leaving her in peace. Either that or he didn't care.

Okay, time to crawl to the bathroom, and then if possible swagger like a drunk into the kitchen for more water.

As Benson rose from her nest of floral covers and made to go toward the rest room, she heard a light knock on her entrance door.

'I swear if someone is trying to sell me something…" she thought as her hand strayed to her side arm. Shaking her head, a bad idea when one is sick and dizzy, she sat on the edge of her bed and waited for whoever was at the door to go away.

After a few moments she heard an odd scratching sound at the door, and her detective insight told her that she was hearing her lock being picked.

Grabbing her gun Kate made her way around the edge of her bed and through her darkened room, she would have an advantage, as her whole apartment was shrouded in darkness to better accommodate her headache, but she would need to act against this perpetrator quickly, she felt too move already, and she wasn't up to hand-to-hand combat, with a link or regular bad guy.

Moving as swiftly as she could under the circumstances, Kate leaned against the wall next to the open doorway to her bedroom. With her gun raised to shoulder level and pointing at the ceiling, she took a deep breath and waited for what was to come.

As light flooded from the opened front door into Kate's apartment, the detective threw herself onto the ground outside the bedroom door, aimed at the silhouette of the home invader and yelled, "Freeze, Police!" Kate couldn't make out much beyond the fact that the figure seemed to be wearing some kind of coat, and she cursed that the light from the apartment's hallway had blinded her.

"Geez, Kate, I thought you called in sick. You could have done all this at work."

With that O'Malley reached over and turned on the lights to his partner's apartment.

Grinning at her from the doorway he took in her position on the floor, he raised the coffee and donuts pointedly, "apparently decaf would have been a better choice."

Her wit failing her, Kate lowered her arms and laid her head face down into her elbows.

"What the hell were you thinking breaking and entering Nick and what are you doing here anyway?"

"You're slipping Kate, picking lock just counts as unlawful entry as I didn't have to break anything. I came because I assumed my partner was infirm today and might like some breakfast, or rather lunch." It seemed that Nick just couldn't help get in one more shot as he set the food on the nearby kitchen table, and walked to where Kate lay. "I did think to call ahead, or at least knock a bit longer, but now I see my gut instinct paid off."

Glaring at his smug face, Kate didn't know what the hell he was talking about. Then she noticed the leer hadn't left his face yet. With a moan it occurred to her that she was just lucky that she hadn't decided to sleep naked. With her fever making her roasting and itchy Kate had refused to sleep in some long frumpy nightgown, but since you never knew how sick you would wake up, she had settled on a dark green tank top and matching panties. She had figured that if she was taken to the hospital for an increasing fever, she could live with a few hot EMT's seeing her tasteful undies.

Given the choice of being embarrassed or being sarcastic with a perverted partner in her living room, Kate knew which way she'd pick. Rolling onto her side, she smirked as best she could with her throbbing headache.

"I would have thought since you practically live at 'Girls, girls, girls' this would seem quite modest, O'Malley."

"Ahh well, I do frequent the place, though strictly to keep and eye out for any link activity you understand, but still, this is a decent view, Kate."

"Oh, and is that where you picked up your skills in lock picking?"

"Nah, Carl." was all Nick really had to say. Kate understood. Where do you go to pick up any sleazy or larcenous talent that you needed? Carl.

"So partner, are you just going to lie around all day," her irritating partner quipped, "or are you going to join me, in your current attire I hope, and help me eat my way through these donuts?"

Kate, tired of being a doorstop, shakily got to her feet ignoring her gun, and attempted to walk toward the kitchen. "Food is out for me, but I did need some water…"

The last part of this statement was actually muttered into the elbow of O'Malley's coat sleeve. On attempting to move, Nick had watched his partner begin to have a face to ground confrontation, and acting on instinct had moved quickly to her and caught his partner before she could drop. Taking a deep breath, O'Malley attempted to simultaneously set Kate back on her feet and not overtly cop a feel.

"Kate, are you with me?" A concerned voice inquired from about a foot above her. Pushing away from the mass in front of her, Kate reeled.

She looked up his chest, neck, chin, and finally focused blurrily on the dark eyes of her partner. "Umm…sorry about that Nick, my feet don't seem to want to listen to me today, and I'm sure it will be a shock to you, but I don't even think donuts can help." The room around them seemed to be spinning, and Kate was suddenly glad that she hadn't eaten all day. She rather liked Nick's coat and would hate to throw up all over it. It might be worth it for the look on his face though.

"No worries partner let's just get you to the couch, and I'll work on the donuts while you drool on yourself." Half carrying Kate to the suede black couch in his partner's living room, Nick grabbed a plate, three donuts, a coffee, and a glass of water for the invalid. It occurred to him that the polite thing to do was leave Kate to get better without his presence, but watching her nearly pass out in his arms had bothered him a great deal. If her illness was this bad she probably shouldn't be alone.

After a trip to retrieve Kate's thermometer, Nick and his sick partner talked about trivial matters, random sports, and the upcoming stakeout. After about two hours and actually watching Kate eat something, a bit of bread rather that a sugar covered donut but at least it was something, Nick needed to get ready for the stakeout and Kate needed to sleep.

"Okay, partner it's time for me to go, and probably at least an hour since you've wanted me the hell out of your hair anyway." Nick commented, rising from the matching loveseat that was next to the couch Kate reclined on. Despite being an open pervert, Nick had tried to be reasonably decent to his sick friend and had covered Kate with one of the blankets strewn around her bedroom rather than leaving the poor woman in her underwear. He now figured he would carry it back to the room as Kate made her way to bed, so really he was just tidying up a bit and certainly not tucking his ailing partner into bed like a child, honestly.

"Nick?" Kate groggily questioned as she started to rise.

"What's up Kate? Do you just want to stay on the couch?"

"Actually no, and if I hear one sleazy comment, or ever hear about this in work gossip I_will_ kill you." Nick smiled at the thought of her enacting violence, "but the room is still spinning, so…" she looked down and knew this had to be some sort of divine punishment, "would you mind helping me get to bed?"

In the first seconds after his partner's request, several, well several hundred, rude and risqué comments floated around his brain. Then he pushed them aside and looked down at his partner. Though she didn't have his overt arrogance, nor sadly his desire to blow stuff up, she had her own pride, and it must have cost her to admit this much weakness, even to someone she considered a friend. It would just irritate and upset her to respond with his usual O'Malley sarcasm. Just this once, he would let a few choice comments go, and help out his ailing partner. After all, he would have plenty of time to get them in when she was better.

Leaning over Kate, O'Malley tucked the blankets around her legs and scooped her up. Strongly resisting the urge to toss her over one shoulder, as it would likely get him puked on, he carried her across his arms into her bedroom, and placed her on the center of the bed. Neither had said anything during this maneuver, and Kate didn't even look up at him. Nick quietly got Kate another glass of water, retrieved her thermometer and gun, and was moving to leave his partner in peace when she weakly grabbed his arm.

"Nick…" Her voice was nearly inaudible, but O'Malley restrained himself from hovering over her prone form. "Thanks for coming by, and helping." She looked up then, and gave him a strained smile.

"Don't mention it Kate, you'd do the same for me, though if I should get sick I'll do the decent thing," As he was talking Nick had walked out of the bedroom and had his hand on the opened door to the hall way, but turned back for his parting shot, "and sleep naked." He then closed the door quickly, but softly.

"That bastard," was Kate's last thought as she drifted into a pleasant sleep.

End Chapter 2

AN: All praises to Rassmussin for pulling me away from One Piece fan fiction to crank out the second chapter. Inspired by 'Blind Date' rapid updates, I felt like a lazy loser.

Thanks to those of you who read and liked my fic so far, it will be an ongoing story.

Okay, I may be alone in finding that Head-on commercial the funniest thing in the world, but every time I see the 'apply directly to the forehead' add, I think of O'Malley and Carl going after the baensidhe with baseball bats. So I had to throw that in.

--Chapter 3--

In our next chapter, Nick and the SU2 squad, sans Benson, must take down the link massacring helpless women. Will they be successful? Will Benson get better? Why the hell is Carl in safari gear!???!!! Stay tuned, viewer, and find out.


	3. Chapter 3

No I didn't abandon this fic, but it did take me a while to figure out where I wanted it to go. Oh and I'm lazy too.

* * *

"Carl! What the hell are you wearing?" Normally Captain Page would have ignored Carl's clothing, stench, and the entirety of the gnome himself, but when said Link meandered into his office wearing the full hat, vest, shorts and boots of something that probably belonged on an animal show, even the stalwart Captain couldn't help but comment.

"Ah, as we're going to be hunting hot, flossy link babes this evening, I want to get into the part." The gnome brushed imaginary dust off the safari suit covering his 4'0" frame and took off his hat to straighten the nearly two foot long feather in it. "After all, chicks dig guys who go after what they really want."

"And apparently what Carl wants is to look like he mugged an overly enthusiastic boy scout, sir"

"Funny O'Malley, not as funny as that face, but still worth a chuckle." Carl then promptly ducked an already low attempt to cuff him on the back of the head.

"Be that as it may, O'Malley, Carl's presence may be necessary for this maneuver." Captain Page informed the detective.

"Oh, were luring the link via smell, and it prefers rotting sewer stench?"

Page never even blinked at the quip. "No, while you were out this afternoon, Carl called on a few of his...connections...and found out that our link might actually prefer attacking links to attacking humans. If that is the case, then we will increase the chance that the link will attack this evening by bringing him along. Detective Owens will still be our primary decoy in the maneuver."

Nick cocked and eyebrow at the diminutive irritant standing next to him. "And what brought on this act of selflessness, Carl? Being ripped to shreds count as a score for you?"

"You wound me O'Malley, I merely want to do all I can to help everyone here in SU2. If my mere presence is enough to bring out the link babes, then what can I do but help."

"And if he didn't find me a way to be useful, and follow through with it on this mission, I was planning to throw him in a cell for the next 20 or so years." Page leveled a glare and at the gnome, "And this doesn't clear you Carl! Pretending to be a large doll so you could hide in the mall and continue your larcenous pursuits will require more than one, minimally altruistic, deed to convince me you deserve to ever see the light of day again."

With that Page dismissed the small blond nuisance. O'Malley was going to slip out with Carl and make his way to the weapons case before anyone else got all the loud, explosive ammo, when Page called him back.

"So, O'Malley, I assume you visited Detective Benson. Will she be ready to resume duty tomorrow? Looking at the victims," Here the Captain spread out pictures of 3 young and attractive women on his desk, "I believe that Benson would be a better choice to lure this vicious monster out of the dark, so if tonight's operation isn't fruitful, we'll need her back as soon as possible."

Meeting Page's level gaze, Nick new better than to try to lie about his visit, creative editing however was required. Nick relayed his partner's nausea, delirium, and fever in such a way that the Captain was convinced that Kate was far too sick to be bothered for a few days, but still omitted the state of her dress, and the near passing out. Neither of which Nick thought his partner would appreciate ending up in one of Captain Page's numerous files on everyone and everything the older man interacted with. For personal reasons, Nick also omitted carrying his ailing partner to bed. It was innocent enough, but somewhere in the scarred rock Nick called a heart, he had decided that the feel of Benson in his arms would be something for him alone.

* * *

9:00 PM HYDE PARK

Special Unit 2 had the entire perimeter secured, and with various people posing as homeless, prostitutes, and college students, the illusion that the area was crawling with the dregs of society had been completed.

Aside from officers and a few actual park denizens, the area had been relatively quiet. The airways over everyone's devices had been silent as well, except for the annoying whining from one gnome, and the frequency of said whining was increasing. Captain Page had been tempted to pull the gnome from the operation altogether after hearing how the link's Safari shorts tended to chafe, for the third time.

In the three hours since nightfall, no unusual activity seemed to be taking place, no links, aside from one gnome, had been seen. Captain Page was considering aborting the mission until Jonathan could find some pattern in the first three attacks when all hell broke loose.

As Detective Owens, currently in hooker-wear, (when you don't know where you'll be hooking, wear hooker-wear) had been approaching the most notable landmark in the park, a large fountain, when she seemed to have an episode.

"Do you guys hear that...it sounds like singing..." was all the red haired woman said as she reached the fountain. Despite Captain Page and several other detectives calling for her to stop, the woman drifted closer and closer. O'Malley, never one for speaking, had ran full speed from the park bench he was 'sleeping' on toward the strangely acting detective.

He was just in time to see the link rise from the water. It did look like a woman, what might have been a beautiful one once, but now was too pale and slimy looking to be a called such. He saw the creature raise an arm to strike at Owens, who Nick noted seemed to be in a trace. Nick body tackled the red haired detective and the two rolled down a hill, landing with Nick painfully on bottom and soaking wet. Nick didn't bother to open his eyes as the sounds of weapon fire sounded in the general area of the fountain.

"Geez Owens, I like you too, but you need to get off of me so I can go kill stuff." From the lack of response O'Malley figured the woman was unconscious or still entranced, but when he opened his eyes he saw he was wrong. He hadn't been covered in hot water from the fountain; he had been covered in Owens.

It seemed that in the time O'Malley tacked the other detective, the link had struck causing a deep gash in the woman's abdomen, and as officers and medics pulled the woman off of him, it appeared that rolling down the hill had coated most of his torso and arms in her blood.

Nick wasn't actively aware of any of this as he was going into shock. He stared blankly at his blood-covered hands, and wondered dimly where his gun had gotten too. For some reason his legs weren't working right, so Nick began crawling back to the fountain to find his side arm. This took longer than expected, because when he looked back down the hill he saw some EMT's loading the fallen detective into an ambulance. Sitting on the incline, one thought penetrated his dulled wits.

That could have been Kate. It should have been Kate on duty today. It was supposed to be Kate that was the decoy. It would have been Kate that lay, nearly gutted, in his arms, before EMTs dragged her away to the hospital. Or the morgue.

It was Carl who first reported to the Captain that O'Malley was missing; nearly an hour after the creature had struck. It wouldn't have been so long, but Carl, in wanting to talk to O'Malley, had also wanted to stay as far away from Captain Page as possible, so he walked most of the area by the fountain to find his human friend, rather than asking the detectives whereabouts. Sadly, gnomes aren't built for speed, so when Carl finally tugged on Page's arm and announced that the detective was gone, Nick's car was missing as well, and enough time had passed for the man to be anywhere.

Benson knew that Nick would gloat that it was his divine presence, or something, that had healed her. When Nick left around three p.m., Kate had fallen back to sleep, and when she had awoken at eight-thirty, she felt nearly human again. Her temperature was hovering just under 100 degrees, which wasn't a cause for celebration yet, but it felt so much better than 103. Better enough that Kate took a quick shower, then made and ate some soup. She contemplated turning her phone back on, but having assured her mother, _three times_, that she would be fine, Kate figured no one she wanted to talk to would be calling. When the link in Hyde park was taken out, Kate had no doubt Nick would be at her door in person to share every gory, violent detail of how he slaughtered it. Honestly Nick with a link to kill was like a kid with candy. The likelihood of his arrival also caused Kate to change into some jeans, rather than her previous sleep attire.

As Benson made her way to the kitchen she heard a loud knock on her door, checking the peephole, the blurred and warped image of her partner greeted her. Well it could have been anyone with dark hair really; these stupid things were useless.

After a second softer knock Kate responded.

"What, did Carl steal your lock picks, or would sneaking in ruin your grand entrance?"

Hearing no response Kate opened the door. Gasping she stepped back as she could clearly see that Nick's normal attire was coated in some brownish crusty filth, Kate began to gripe at her partner.

"You could at least wash up before coming to share the glory Nick, geez what link coated you in this anyway."

"Human..." was rasped back at her.

"What!" Focusing more intently on her partner, she wondered if her fever was skewing you perception to have missed this. The reddened blood-shot eyes, pale face, and slumping stance were not the look of her partner after wasting links.

"Nick, what happened, was the killer human? This...oh god, blood! This blood isn't yours is it?" Moving rapidly Kate threw an arm around Nick and began dragging him to a chair. She didn't quite make it as Nick slumped to the ground. He simply sat on the floor for a few seconds before Kate reached out a hand to help him get back up.

"C'mon partner, we'll get you a shower and I'll wash your clothes, mind you you're scrubbing the tub afterwards." Kate didn't know how to deal with a non-sarcastic Nick, so humor was the best she could think of to alleviate the situation.

Nick reached up and blindly took her hand, but once grasped, he ignored her tug upwards, instead dragging his partner down. The odd angle Kate had leaned down at, combined with her ongoing illness sent her sprawling toward the carpet. Strong arms that she had been carried in earlier today caught her, and she rapidly found herself sitting across Nick's lap, his arms trapping hers, and holding her against his ruined shirt. The look in his eyes was sorrowful, and desperate.

"Nick, what..." Faced with his pain, Kate didn't even know what to ask, or how to help. As he shook his head, Kate merely sat where he'd placed her, and waited.

He whispered something, and even as close as she was Kate couldn't make it out. Leaning until she was bare inches from his face she caught his words.

"It could have been you Kate," seeing her so close, Nick glanced to meet her eyes, "It could have been you." And before Kate could pull away, or think of a reply, Nick's arms rose up to grasp her face. Her breathy gasp was against her partner's mouth, as Nick jerked her forward kissed her hard, bruising. Her eyes were impossibly wide as Nick mapped her mouth with lips and tongue. She couldn't pull away, and lost the desire to do so as she felt tears land on her cheek. The tears weren't hers, and if this was the way Nick needed to grieve, then Kate was there with him until the end. As Nick's hands moved from her face to her shoulders, and he licked to roof of her mouth, Kate slung her arms around his neck and began to respond.

One thing was certain in Kate's mind. After this, their working relationship was going to be shot to hell.

Hope people like the update, I plan to finish this. Maybe 2 more chapters.


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, a new chappie! Be warned, this does contain grown up content, but I have kept it down around the 'T' level. For the closet (and open) pervert, the complete shower scene will be available on aff. The gist of the chapter will be the same...but it will be about 2 pages longer and chock full of yummy. It's going to be under the same fic and author name on aff, but feel free to review on either account. Oh and it is my first attempt at a full lemon, so be kind.

* * *

Nick had never been one for words, unless it was a steady barrage of sarcasm, and he wasn't vocal as he caressed his partner. Silent, strong, violent and protective, he had one hand around the back of Kate's neck and the other questing through her tank top just seconds after she responded to him. Feeling the heat rising off his body, Kate worked to get him out of his blood-encrusted clothes. First, the coat had to go. She would have laughed at his growling when his arms were pushed back so she could tug the encrusted garb off his shoulders, but this wasn't the time for laughter or jokes. This was the time for action.

With Nick's cooperation, the coat was soon divested, and Kate's nimble fingers made quick work of the equally stained shirt.

Once unencumbered, Kate had moved to explore the newly exposed regions of Nick's well-defined torso, but was stopped short by the bloodstains that still covered him.

"Nick-OOF!" was all Kate got out before she was pushed backwards to land on the floor. Her partner seemed more than ready to continue as he crawled over her.

A gang of Zaybar couldn't pull Kate from her partner at this moment, but as much as she wanted to continue; not with the blood, not on the floor, and not...like some quick roll in the hay.

"Nick, shower." The lapping at her neck was pleasurable, incredibly so, but not an acquiescence to her request.

Never realizing her police training would be used in this kind of situation, Kate pulled her arms from Nick's shoulders and in rapid motion knocked his arms wide at the elbows. Before he could fall on her, thus ending any remaining will to resist that the woman possessed, Kate shoved her palms into his upper chest, knocking her partner back on his knees.

The shock and betrayal on his face forced her to sit up and wrap her arms around the man. Kate didn't know what had happened on the mission, but it must have been horrendous for Nick to be this open.

"Come on Nick, I'm not stopping, but we need to get you cleaned up." This time her words seemed to penetrate, and Nick stood shakily. Kate followed him up and with an arm around his waist, began pulling Nick through the bedroom and into the bath. The bathroom was the selling feature of the whole apartment, with a double sink and Jacuzzi style bathtub. The landlord had leered when he said the huge tub could 'easily seat four' but right now it looked perfect for two, what with the thrashing that would be going on. She got the water in the tub running and as habit threw in some rose-scented bubble bath. Nick might not like it, but it was her tub and she doubted he'd complain.

But first the shower. Thankful that the glass encased shower was separate from the tub, Kate cracked open the stall to reach in and get the water going hot and pounding.

She then turned to face her partner. Nick was watching her with a guarded expression, like he didn't know what she would do next. Kate saw that the man hadn't made any attempt to change out of the rest of his clothing, and sighing the blond detective began to rethink this whole scene.

"Nick, are you okay there, partner?" Kate was worried, sure Nick had been very physically expressive on how he wanted to spend the evening, but really hadn't said anything. Was she taking advantage? _Could_ one actually take advantage of the ever-perverted Nick O'Malley? Kate doubted it was possible, but Nick had been acting strange since arriving at her apartment this evening, and turned on or not Kate would rather be locked in a room with a wailing baensidhe than force her friend into something he wasn't prepared for.

Shaking her head, Kate closed the distance to her partner, the steam from the shower and hot tub beginning to cloud her vision slightly. Reaching out, she cupped his cheek in one hand and forced Nick's gaze up to meet her own. Seeing that the other's eyes had been hovering around chest level made her want to not even voice her concern, but even being a pervert, Nick seemed to currently be a hurt pervert and as such was deserving of a certain level of care.

"Nick, go ahead and get in the shower and clean off, I'll get your clothes in the washer while you scrub up. Then we can either hit the tub, or you can just go to sleep." She couldn't believe how hard this was to offer, which let Benson know once and for all that, yes, she was very repressed, and apparently she had been repressing a strong desire to climb Nick like a flagpole for months now. "This won't go any further than you borrowing my shower if you don't want it to."

The life seemed to return to Nick's eyes just a bit at that, though it was a husky rasp, he responded, "protecting my virtue, partner? Thanks." With a small smirk, Nick walked closer to the shower and began to remove the rest of his clothes.

Despite all that she and Nick had been doing just a few minutes before, Kate felt heat growing on her face as her partner's belt thumped onto the bath mat next to the shower. Under the guise of getting the man some towels, the flushed detective turned her attention to the cabinet she stored her bath products in. Kate listened to her partner disrobing with the level of intensity one usually would reserve for checking on a ticking bomb, but refused to lower herself to the level of peeping on Nick, even if she doubted the other man would care, or show such propriety in a reversed situation.

After what seemed like eternity the shower door opened and closed, emitting another puff of steam, and the sound of the water against the tile was altered to that of hitting flesh. With a sigh Benson pulled out two white guest towels, though guys only ever seemed to need one, and walked to the shower stall.

"Nick, the towels are hanging on the door, and I'm going to go wash your clothes, maybe two or three times, so just take your time." With a small sigh, Kate placed the towels on the metal rail on the shower door and moved to leave.

"No." was softly emitted from the shower. More indecipherable speech followed, and puzzled, Kate leaned against the door, trying to read the expression the faceless peach blob through the steamed glass.

"Nick, I don't think I caught that-" Kate began when the door opened and a hand shot out to latch onto her wrist. Kate let out a small 'eep!' as she was dragged into the shower, through the spray, and against the wall directly under the showerhead. A split second later all conscious thought was eradicated in the detective's mind as a very warm, very wet, and very hard body pressed her into the wall. His response was breathed heavily into her neck.

"I said 'no, don't worry about the clothes, come here.' I thought about the going to bed, or getting in the tub, and after careful consideration, I've decided that both choices would take too damned long." Impossibly, Nick pressed even closer to Kate. She could feel him through her soaked clothes, she could feel how ready he was, even through her jeans. Her whole body salivated as she gazed at him. He'd been shirtless around her often enough that she hadn't been awkward with him as she'd gotten his shirt off, now though, faced with parts previously unknown, her heart fluttered up to her throat.

She knew she would never live down what came out of her mouth.

"Wow" She bit her lip and looked up to meet his eyes as Jonathan's catch phrase for every new factoid in the universe was uttered.

He was smirking has he bent his head and took her lips.

* * *

Half lying under the shower spray and half lying under his partner, Nick recollected his wits after he came down from his bliss.

A small chuckle escaped him as he gazed at Kate, who he now had to tease for passing out after sex.

With a moan, Nick slid himself out from underneath the dozing blond, and sitting up waited a few moments to let the shower rinse them both off, before finally turning off the now tepid water and reaching outside for the towels. He dried quickly and wrapped the towel around his waist, before scooping Kate into his arms and levering the towel around her. He had a feeling that she would be annoyed tomorrow morning for her hair dripping a trail of water across the bathroom, bedroom and into her pillow as he laid her on the bedspread, but he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment, he wasn't sure he had ever been happier than he was laying in Kate's bed, and holding the wonderful woman in his arms.

Lethargically he reached over to her nightstand for the glass of water she kept handy. He doubted she'd care if he had some, what with all that they'd just shared. The sight of Kate's gun, muzzle pointed at the bed, made him jump slightly. Honestly, its amazing she had lived this long if this was how she kept her room, she'd likely blow her own hand off at best. The alarm clock read 12:15am, amazing how little time had passed since the...mission, he was still in a bit of shock over all that happened, but in hindsight he knew had done all he could to save the other detective, and was almost certain he had seen the downed detective moving slightly as she was loaded into the ambulance. That she was alive was great, and that they would blow the hell out of the monster that took out one of SU2's finest was icing on the cake.

As Nick set the water back on the nightstand he knocked over something on the heavily burdened furniture. Reaching blindly over the edge of the bed he grabbed it and pulled up Kate's thermometer.

Ah, that's right, Nick had forgotten that Kate had been sick earlier. So sick, in fact, that she had nearly collapsed in his arms, and had had to be carried back to bed with a high fever. She had seemed lucid and well when he arrived this evening...but, hell, she had been completely coherent when he had been here just hours ago as well.

Rolling over he looked at his slumbering partner. Her face was slightly flushed and she seemed to be sleeping deeply. Laying a hand across her forehead, he could tell she was warm, but whether it was from a fever of the shower he couldn't be sure. Like hell he couldn't, he had left here at three with her nearly unconscious, then returned around eleven and took her, in the shower, against the wall.

Nick rolled on his back as panic began to set in. It wasn't the normal panic he felt when someone was in danger. No this wasn't like a splash of cold, this was being dragged under a glacier and left to drown. How could he have let this happen?

He knew how. Because when he looked down and saw the inert, bleeding form of Detective Owen's, his mind had implanted Kate's face over the image. So he had fled, fled to Kate's apartment and into Kate's arms, so relieved that she was safe. Now, he had to deal with the aftermath. Even if Kate had enjoyed it, had been willing, who could be willing with a high fever? Had she even been dragging him into the bathroom and running the tub for sex, or had she not even thought about what she was doing?

Still frozen in his partner's bed, Nick's mind reeled. What would happen when she woke up? Would she be happy, angry, would she cry, or be afraid? The last two thoughts made a lump well in his throat. The idea of his Kate crying, or pulling away in fright...it was too much. Nick was in the bathroom and gathering up his bloodstained clothing before he could even thing about it. They were stiff and vile, but he would wear them and he would get out of here.

He quickly donned all his attire, checked that his coat still contained his keys and wallet, and then made for the door. Panic was putting him into pure fight or flight mode and for the first time ever, flight, was winning. After all, how on earth could he fight Kate? Hand on the door handle, Nick finally stopped and took a deep breath. He nearly chuckled as he thought of the last time he left, mentioning sleeping naked. Now here he was, a naked Kate in bed after just being with him, and he was fleeing. Fleeing because he was fairly certain that he had just betrayed his partner, his best friend, and the woman he probably loved all in one fell swoop. Well that's what happens when all three are the same amazing person, and you rank lower than slime.

Nick had always been a pervert, but generally only with those equally perverse, and now, for perhaps the first time ever, Nick hated himself.

"I'm sorry, Kate, so sorry." Nick shut the door softly as he left.

End Ch. 4

AN: Whoohoo! The plot thins, but the hotness factor increases. Rasmussen and Miranda, thank you both for your continuing reviews.

Next chapter: The Link is unmasked (Way to go Jonathan) and Nick drowns in angst.

Side note: As I was writing this, I wondered if Nick's panic attack was a bit out of character for him. Based on his reaction to his friend being hurt in 'the youth' and whenever Kate is in danger, I came to the conclusion that Nick is very protective of his friends and that it would bother him a lot if he took advantage of his sick friend this way.


End file.
